Theresa May had ordered officials to increase crisis preparations for a possible No Deal Brexit, as the Cabinet is said to be “in a state of panic” over the failure of the Chequers plan, The Sun reported.
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A senior government official told The Sun on the condition of anonymity that the government considering eight possible scenarios which could trigger a Cobra emergency committee. These scenarios include drug storage with a maximum two-week supply of medicine, fuel and energy shortages, the collapse of the pound, plummeting home prices and possible relocation of businesses out of Britain.
MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, a staunch hard Brexit supporter, called the concerns regarding a possible departure without a deal the rebirth of so-called “project Fear.”
“It is the job of government to avoid panic, not create it. After Brexit, we will maintain control of our own imports. There is no need for shortages so we should remain calm and ensure life carries on as normal — not precipitate a crisis,” he told The Sun.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister May took an extraordinary step and addressed her opponents in the Labour Party, writing a column for The Observer, trying to portray her party as “a party for the whole country” and the only option that could get the best Brexit deal.
“The British people are not bound by ideology and there has never been a time when party labels have counted for less. This presents an opportunity Conservatives must seize – to be a party not for the few, not even for the many, but for everyone in our country who works hard and plays by the rules,” she wrote.
May’s words came a day after sources claimed that there are negotiations between the Prime Minister’s team and lawmakers within the Labour Party to secure the votes necessary for her plan to pass through the parliamentary votes. The concerns arose with the Brexiteeters in the party, including Boris Johnson and Rees-Mogg, saying that they would not vote for May’s Chequers and made her an ultimatum – to adopt a Canada-style free trade strategy or to step down as the party leader – and as the Prime Minister.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, said on Saturday that the chances for a No Deal Brexit had risen in the last few days, while noting that the matter could be finished within next month. May and the EU leaders are expected to reach a final agreement — or declare the No Deal Brexit after negotiations in Brussels on October 16.